Queens named for Pirates Week

Miss Festival Queen 2016 Chante Smith-Johnson poses with contenders for this year's crown, from left, Miss West Bay Victoria Ebanks, Miss Bodden Town Tracey Barnes-Fagan, and Miss George Town Amanda Hurlston. Missing from the photo is Miss East End Latoya Lightbody. - PHOTO: Kris Williams Creative

Four young women will be taking part in the annual Pirates Week Festival Queen Costume competition this weekend.

The contest will take place Friday at 7:15 p.m, at Harbour Drive. The evening will also feature a fireworks display at the harborfront at 8:30 p.m.

Sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Miss Festival Queen Costume Competition is tailored to female contestants ages 15 and older, and “is a unique way to showcase Caymanian culture through design,” organizers said in a press release.

The festival queens this year are: Victoria Ebanks from West Bay, Latoya Lightbody from East End, Amanda Hurlston from George Town, and Tracey Barnes-Fagan from Bodden Town.

This event is a competition between the District/Heritage Committees.

Each district selects a young woman as its representative and the committee members work together to design a costume relating to the theme of the annual festival.

The theme of this year’s event is “Treasures of Change.”

Other areas of adjudication include authenticity, stage presentation, use of Caymanian products and design detail.

The winner will lead the annual day parade, which will be held on Saturday, showing off her district’s winning costume to an expected crowd of more than 12,000 people.

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